Massively exclusive: Pirate101 announces new advanced pet system

Pirate101's pet system is getting an update, and KingsIsle tells us that a new test realm will soon open its doors to showcase the changes. Pet owners will be able to send their minions on various world-based training missions which will raise their level, unlock talents and powers, and more.

The devs are also adding the ability to PvP in a pet battle arena as well as a new quest that details the new advanced pet system. KingsIsle has penned a lengthy dev diary explaining how everything works. You can read it after the cut.

Advanced Pets Incoming to Pirate101

An all new Test Realm will open its doors soon that will feature an amazing boost to the Pet system in Pirate101. That's right! Now announcing a new era of Advanced Pets: Skull Island has been asked to participate in the Great Petathelon on Bestia in the Circus Maximus, the grand new Pet Pavilion in the Free-to-Play area of Pirate101!

In the Circus Maximus you'll find Pet supplies, a Morphing Tent to create new Pets, and a Pet battling arena where you can test your Pets' grit against the guts and guile of other players' Pets.
In Bestia you'll learn more about your Pets: they've always been loyal allies that fight at your side in combat, but now you can raise their level by training-even getting them higher level than your Pirate!

The Pirate101 Pet system may be a little different than what you're used to! You'll be sending your Pets out to train on world-based activities (Like Crane Meditation in Mooshu or Hay Bailing in Cool Ranch) while continuing on with whatever you were doing previously in Pirate101.
In general, Pet training activities take three things: Time, Energy Cost (you'll have a new orange globe by your health and mojo potion indicators), and most require special pieces of Pet Gear. After training your Pet, you'll be given a chance to feed your pet a snack to grant them even more experience or stat upgrades!

Dozens of all new Pets can be found on vendors, as loot, as quest rewards, or purchased from the Crown Shop. When you get a new pet, it'll start out as an egg. Once a Pet's egg hatches, you train your Pet to increase its level and improve its combat abilities both in regular combat and in the Pet dueling arena. Once your Pet levels up high enough, you can combine your Pet with others through morphing to create new Pets with the traits of both!

General Improvement Quick Facts

- Your old Pets will be converted to Advanced Pets at a level that ensures you keep the power of your original Pet, but be warned . . . Pets no longer level as your Pirate does. If you don't train your new Pets, they won't grow up!

- Your Pet's chances to appear in combat is variable with new talents that can cause them to appear more often, but the really great news is that now each round they will have a chance to show up!

- There's a new Pet quest that's going to walk you through everything you need to know about the new Pet system.

- As Pets gain levels, their combat prowess improves, their size increases, and they unlock new talents and powers.

- There are all new badges for Pets and even one for finding hidden pet snack vendors.

- There's an all new Pet Battle Arena on Bestia.

Pet Battling

Speak to Decius Duelmaster in the Circus Maximus to join a Pet battle. You can choose to challenge other players in Pet Battle PvP, or practice in a Pet Practice Match. Select up to four of your Pets to enter the arena!

You unlock the ability to fight with more than one Pet by competing in Pet battles and earning badges. Fight 5 battles and you unlock the ability to fight with two Pets. Compete 15 times, and you unlock the ability to fight with three Pets. Compete 30 times to unlock the ability to fight with all four!

To do well in Pet battling you'll need to cheer and cast the right powers at the right times.
Once the battle is over and whether you win or lose, you earn Pet gear and perhaps some snacks. Winning the battle grants richer rewards, and the number of opponent Pets raises the rewards even higher.

Pet Powers and Talents

Talents and powers have a rarity, and some of them are rarer than others. Your Pet will have 10 potential talents or powers, but it will only unlock one new talent or power each time it increases its age rank. In general, you'll find a lot of useful talents and powers in your Pets' pedigrees; in fact both Talents and Powers will be able to be used in combat (as opposed to there being a pedigree strictly based on a pet activity like Pet Derby in Wizard101).

Age ranks change every ten levels. The age ranks and what they unlock are as follows:

Unleash your Pets (and mounts!)As a final and much requested benefit from the Advanced Pets system being implemented in Pirate101, we're happy to announce that you'll now be able to place your Pets and Mounts in player housing! Enjoy!